When Alice from For Travelista contacted me about writing a guest post about Southeast Asia for this site I jumped at the chance! Southeast Asia is not only loved by Alice but by us as well. We think it is a great place to have adventures with kids. Below Alice shares her list of the top 10 things to do in Southeast Asia with kids. Get ready to be inspired!

A lot of parents put off having adventures and exploring exotic locations for the reason that they think it would be hard to travel with kids especially for single parents who have no clue how to plan a trip. Although it can be true, this reason alone shouldn’t stop you from travelling with them.

I’ve been to more than a few countries as a kid, thanks to my parents, because they wanted me to see more of the world. And now I am an adult, I am still continuing what they wanted me to do. I’m sure travelling with me and my older brother wasn’t easy, but definitely worth it.

Why Travel With Your Kids?

Though travelling with kids sometimes can be difficult, it does certainly come with a lot of benefits for you and kids. Here are some main reasons as to why you should start planning for your travel as a family now:

Travelling Brings Family Together

Travelling together as a family brings each member of the family together. Just for once, the chaos of a “normal life” is set aside and you can spend time together. Travelling together gives you chance to bond and become open to each other. Kids get the extra attention they might miss out on when their parents are at work. Travelling is definitely one of the best ways to bond as a family.

Travelling Broadens the Kids’ Cultural Awareness

One thing that your kids mightn’t experience at home is to be exposed to all the diverse cultures and languages in the world. Although you are probably not travelling long enough for your kids to learn a different language fluently, you can expose your kids to all the sounds, patterns, rhythms, and different pitches of foreign languages.

Later when your kids’ grow, learning the language will be easier for them. It is also a good chance to introduce them to the world. They will be open-minded and more appreciative. A trip to new places – particularly developing countries – is definitely going to be an eye-opener for kids.

Traveling Makes Kids Become More Adaptable

When my parents took me on my first camping trip when I was 10 years old, I was able to easily fall asleep at night just the way I did in a comfortable bed in our home. Travel plans rarely go smoothly and spontaneity is often required. This helps kids become more adaptable with their surrounding.

Travelling Offers a Break from the Digital World

When travelling with kids, their attention is mostly focused on what’s going on around them.They won’t remember their iPad or favorite morning cartoons. Your kids will be more interested in interacting with monkeys and elephants or playing at the beach and snorkeling.

From time to time, you may get some looks and remarks from strangers for taking your kids around another country or perhaps get compliments for being so patient about doing it. But at the end of the day, you know as a parent that travelling with your kids will be extremely beneficial.

Top 10 things to do in Southeast Asia with kids

From beaches and temples to safaris, Southeast Asia offers a long list of kids-friendly activities that will keep kids interested during the trip. In this article, I list down the top 10 activities from 5 Southeast Asian countries that your kids will love

INDONESIA

1. Go Island Hopping and Terrain Trekking in Bali

Bali is a family-friendly holiday destination, and certainly, children will definitely enjoy the beaches around the island. With picturesque beaches and rich marine life, your kids will love seeing fish and corals while snorkeling.

When you and your kids have had enough of the water, you then may want to go to Ubud to explore a different side of Bali with the rice terraces. However, keep in mind that the rice terraces in Ubud are steep, narrow, and it is a bit tricky with little kids, so make sure your kids are at least 4 years old.

2. Explore family-friendly Bandung

Filled with rich culture and history, the cities and town of Indonesia are overflowing with wonderful skylines, delightful food options and copious activities. Bandung in located in the West Java and is a popular weekend getaway for those who want to experience stunning hills fringing a big extensive city made up of tea plantations and volcanoes.

It is also a very kid-friendly destination. You can take your kids to eat on a pirate ship at Legok Kondang’s Pisnis Resto or check out the replica of a Hobbit House at The Farm House Lembang.

SINGAPORE

3. Visit Universal Studios

Kids of any age will not get tired of exploring Universal Studios. You’ll be captivated with the amount of rides and attractions, food to taste and shows to watch. On the top of that, there is the excitement the kids will experience when they meet their favorite characters from movies.

4. Explore Singapore Zoo and Night Safari

If your kids love animals, then take them to one of the best zoos in the world found in Singapore. You can also let your kids swim at the kids’ water park half way through which is a big relief especially when you are in a tropical country such as Singapore.

Wait for the evening to come and explore the Night Safari to see nocturnal wildlife in their natural habitat as well as fire-breathing performers.

VIETNAM

5. Cruise the Mekong Delta

Exploring the waterways to the Mekong Delta villages, you will see the beauty of the country. When taking a tour to explore this wonder, most of the package tours include some activities that will keep younger travellers entertained while offering them an opportunity to learn about the rich local culture in an amusing, interactive way. Don’t forget to explore the floating market!

6. Take a Motorbike Tour

When in Ho Chi Minh, make your kids experience getting around like a local. A small child can sit between of a parent and the driver, believe me, it’s not as scary as it sounds like. As long as you take a tour from a trustworthy company, you will have peace of mind. This is a very fun way to let your kids experience the life in the country.

THAILAND

7. Look Out For Elephants

There are an approximately 2,000 to 3,000 elephants living in Thailand in its natural habits, while about 4,000 are living in captivity. Many of these endangered animals are taken from the wild for tourism, and some are even treated in a cruel way. So, when visiting Thailand, you can still let your kids see them and feed them with some bananas, and not support the exploitation by not riding them.

8. Enroll Your Kids in Cooking School

There are many cooking class institutes found in the country, but you can find great ones in Phuket. If your child is old enough to use a knife and other cooking tools then you may want to ask them if they are interested in learning how to cook Thai food. A lot of Thai delicacies don’t require complicated recipes. By letting your kids join a cooking class, they’re not only having fun but actually learning something.

CAMBODIA

9. Explore Angkor Wat

Take your kids to the Old Kingdom. Kids aged 10 years old and below are free when accompanied by adults. Wake up early and watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat with your kids. Give your kids a camera and let them take pictures of the ancient ruins. This is going to be a fun, unforgettable experience for them.

10. Check out the Royal Palace and Play Traditional Musical Instruments

Kids will enjoy wandering on the silver tiles of the Silver Pagoda located at the Royal Palace for the screeching noises their feet create. Head straight to the gardens full of flowers and huge topiary trees cut into different shapes of animals and other fun things. You must also not forget to visit the stilt houses where for a small donation your kids will be allowed to play traditional musical instruments which come with short lessons.

 

When you become parents, gone are the days when you can get the benefits of travelling alone, but that’s okay, as travelling with your kids can be equally fun! Travel will help you form good and pleasing memories that your kids will remember forever.

If you want to teach good, enjoyable, and exciting memories for your kids to treasure and remember for life,d oing any or all the activities listed above when you visit Southeast Asia, is a must! But of course, planning, research, and preparation are all necessary.

If you want to read more useful travel tips and advice, check out Alice’s website www.fortravelista.com and join her in her journey!

Tags:  Cambodia Travel Blog Indonesia Travel Blog Singapore Travel Blog Thailand Travel Blog Vietnam Travel Blog